Ironing pad



Aug. 4, 1942. C T 2,291,764

IRONING PAD Filed Jun e 27, 1941 Patented Aug. 4, 1942 IRONING PAD Louis Schultz, Fox Point, Wis., assignor to The Sunlite Mfg. Company, Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Application June 27, 1941, Serial No. 399,964

4 Claims.

' This invention relates to improvements in ironing pads, and more particularly to a pad of the type which includes a layer of fabric having a coating of waterproofing and heat reflecting material whereby the pad is rendered relatively stiff and non-stretchable as compared with ordinary pads formed of untreated fabric.

With the conventional pad it is comparatively simple to fold and stretch the material around the curved nose and rear end of an ironing board as the relatively stretchable and conformable untreated fabrics readily lend themselves to the obtaining of a satisfactory result as far as proper fit is concerned. Furthermore, there is no problem with the conventional pad in obtaining a conforming fit on ironing boards having noses of varying width.

The pad with which the present invention is concerned has numerous advantages over the conventional pad in that it does not wrinkle, in that steam cannot penetrate the waterproofing coating, and in that the coated surface forms a heat reflector to greatly facilitate the ironing operation. However, with pads of this type including a coated fabric, there can be no underfolding of a built-in ironing board into the wall.

Furthermore, such folded ends would make the relatively stiff and non-stretchable pad suited for use on a board having one nose width only.

Heretofore pads of the type with which the present invention is concerned have been cut-to the exact size of the top surface of the ironing board and placed loosely thereon, and an outer covering or envelope of thin conformable material engageable around the marginal edges of the ironing board has been relied upon to maintain the relatively stiff coated pad in position. However, this method did not prove to be entirely satisfactory, because when the ironing board was folded into a wall or placed on its rear end in upright position in a closet the front portion of the pad would slide rearwardly within the outer covering and cause a transverse buckling to take placeat an intermediate point. This was naturally objectionable because sooner or later a permanent deformation would result which would afiect the smoothness of the ironing surface.

It is, therefore, a general object of the present invention to provide an ironing pad including a layer of relatively stiff and non-stretchable coated fabric wherein means is provided for smoothly'anchorlng the front portion of the pad to the ironing board in a manner to prevent rearward sliding movement of the pad, to eliminate bulkiness at the nose of the board, and in a manner to insure proper registration of the front and rear'end edges of the pad with the front and rear end edges of the ironing board.

A further object ofthe invention is to provide an improved ironing pad which is adapted for proper cooperation with ironing boards having different nose widths.

A still further object of the invention is to provide in an ironing pad including a layer of coated fabric and a layer of cushioning fabric therebeneath, means for connecting side edge portions of said layers in such a manner that shrinkage of 'the layer of cushioning fabric will not cause buckling of the relatively non-shrinkable layer of coated material.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists of the improved ironing pad and all its parts and combinations as set forth in the claims, and all equivalents thereof.

In the accompanying drawing illustrating one complete embodiment of the preferred form of the invention, in which the same reference numerals designate the same parts in all of the views: I

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the improved pad in flat condition and removed from the ironing board;

Fig. 2 is a bottom view thereof;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing the pad fitted upon an ironing board;

Fig. 4 is a view looking at the bottom side of the front end of the ironing board showing how a front portion of the pad is secured smoothly in position;

Fig. 5 is a similar view showing the pad applied to an ironing board having a nose of greater width than in Fig. 4; v

Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing the outer covering for holding the side and rear end edges of the pad in position, partially drawn over the board;

Fig. 7 is a bottom view of an ironing board showing the complete assembly, including the outer covering;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on line 8-8 of Fig. 2; a

Fig. 9 is an enlarged transverse sectional view taken on line 9-9 of Fig. 6; and

.Fig. 10 is a view similar to Figs. 4 and 5, illustrating a modified connection.

able result will occur Referring more particularly to the drawing. the main portion of the pad comprises a top layer of treated or coated fabric I0, and a lower layer of cushioning material or fabric ii.

The layer preferably comprises suitable textile material treated on one or both sides, but preferably on the top side only, with a thermoplastic waterproofing and heat reflecting material, such as the product sold in the trade under the name Koroseal. This material is a polyvinyl chloride resin having the attributes of rendering the material waterproof, to resist the action of steam or moisture encountered during ironing, of rendering the pad heat reflecting, and of presenting a smooth gliding surface to greatly facilitate the ironing operation. The treatment or coating renders the fabric relatively nonstretchable and non-shrinkable. While the coated fabric is referred to herein as being relatively stiff, the word "stifP is employed only as compared with untreated fabrics, and the material is readily flexible but is sufflciently stiff that troubles are encountered when it is attempted to wrap the material around the ends of the board, as can be readily done with ordinary untreated fabrics.

Other thermoplastic materials may be employed "either as coatings or as part of a laminated structure, such as polyvinylite hydrochloride and the product sold under the trade name of Pliofilm," which is understood to be a hydrochloride composition of rubber. Thermoplastics such as those mentioned may also be employed to act as an adhesive in securing a layer of metal foil to fabric. Any of these coatings or laminated constructions will render the outer layer it relatively stiff as compared with ordinary untreated fabric, and all possess the desirable water-proofing attribu The bottom layer H may comprise any suitable cushioning material, and the type shown is a woven fabric in which one set of threads comprises relatively bulky strands of unspun cotton l2, and in which said strands are secured together by interwoven thin threads If. This type of fabric has excellent cushioning properties and yet holds together well in fabric form. Woolen cushioning material may also be used, or a layer of jute. The latter material, however, requires a bottom retaining cloth to keep it in position.

In view of the fact that the cushioning fabric ll, because of its nature is shrinkable under certain atmospheric conditions, and in view of the fact that the outer layer of coated material It is relatively non-shrinkable, there was a problem in utilizing these two materials so that there would be no buckling of the layer It as the result of transverse shrinkage of the layer of cushioning material. Accordingly a connecting strip ll of coated fabric, the same as employed in the outer layer III, is joined to by a binding I! (see Fig. 8). The inner edges of the strips ll are turned under, as' at It, and stitched through the layer of cushioning material, as at I1. The stitching I! does not extend into the outer coated fabric Hi. In making this connection the strips M are left relatively loose, as indicated by the bowing in Fig. 8. Thus if there is transverse shrinkage of the layer of cushioning material II it out the connecting strips ll without exerting any pull on the side edges of the layer of coated material ll. Thus no buckling or other undesirfrom such shrinkage. The binding It extends aro d one of the end edges the edge of the outer layer will merely straighten of the pad, as at it, and there is a similar binding It at the opposite end.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, at one of the front corners are two snap fastener sockets l8 and 20, and at the other front corner. projecting from the opposite side of the material as shown in Fig. 2, is a complementary fastening member 2| having a projection which is adapted for snap cooperation with either of the sockets I! or 20. The side and rear edges of the pad conform perfectly to the outline of a standard ironing "card 24, but the front of the pad is rectangular, whereas the nose of an ironing'board is tapered. With this arrangement the pad may be folded on angular lines 22 and 23 so that its front end overlaps beneath the board 24. as shown in Fig. 4, and for an ironing board having a narrow nose width the snap fastener 2| on one corner is engaged with the innermost complementary socket 20, as shown in Fig. 4. Thus the front of the pad conformssmoothly to the front of the board, as shown in Fig. 3, without any wrinkling or buckling, and it is unnecessary to have the extreme front edge of the pad folded beneath the nose. Such a fold, which is customarily employed in the conventional pad made of ordinary stretchable fabrlc, would not be practical with a coated material. The present method of securing the front of the pad to the ironing board effectively prevents rearward sliding movement of the pad on the board and at the same time permits a smooth conforming fit at the front in spite of the relative stiffness and non-stretchability of the coated fabric. 1

If a pad fastened as in Fig. 4 were used on an ironing board 24' of the type shown in Fig. 5 having a wider nose, the rear edge of the pad would terminate short of the rear edge of the ironing board, and this would be very objectionable. With the present invention, however, where a wide-nosed ironing board 24' is employed, the snap fastener 2| is engaged with the outermost socket I! to thereby increase the effective nose width of the pad and provide for proper registration of the rear edge of the pad with the rear edge of the ironing board.

With ordinary pad constructions the rear edge of thin relatively stretchable and conformable fabric to hold the side and rear edges of the pad in position. The covering 25 may be provided with an elastic edge 26, which tends to maintain the fabric pulled around all of the marginal edges of the pad and board, as shown in Fig. '7. In lieu of an elastic a suitable lacing beneath the board may be employed for holding the outer covering 25 in the position of Fig. 7.

With the outer covering in place, if the board is folded upwardly into a wall recess, or if it is placed on its rear end in a closet, the pad will stay perfectly in place within the covering 25 because the side and rear edges are held securely by the covering against shifting, and the front of the pad is held firmly onto the nose by the means shown in Figs. 4 and 5 so that the front portion of the pad cannot slide rearwardly within the outer covering to cause a transverse buckling of the pad at an intermediate point.

One aspect of the invention, therefore, contemplates an assembly including a relatively stiff coated pad having its front portion overlapped beneath the side portions of the nose of the ironing board only, with the remainder of its side edges and rear end being cut to register exactly with the corresponding side and rear edge portions of the ironing board, and an outer covering for holding said side and rear edge portions against shifting, with the front portion of the pad held against longitudinal sliding by the engagement with the nose of the ironing board. The entire assembly is such that a smooth ironing surface is obtained in spite of the interengager'nent of the pad with the nose of the ironing board, and in spite of the relatively stiff and non-conforming nature of the outer layer of the pad. The invention also contemplates the same assembly where the pad is adapted for cooperation with ironing boards having noses of different widths, without having the posing corners, or one end may be detachably secured by a snap fastener 28, as illustrated.

Various other changes and modifications may be employed without departing from the spirit of the invention, and all of such changes are contemplated as may come within the scope of the claims.

What I claim is:

1. An ironing pad comprising a layer of cushioning material and a superimposed layer of fabric treated with waterproofing material, whereby the fabric is rendered relatively stiff compared with untreated material, said pad being generally rectangular in shape and approximately equal in length to the length of a standard taperednosed ironing board and having free edges which are above the board and which substantially register with the outline of said ironing board except at the tapered nose portion of the'latter, the front portion of the pad being of greater width than said tapered nose of the ironing board to provide triangular sections which are foldable beneath the board, with the front corners of the pad overlapping while the front end 2. An ironing pad comprising a layer of cushioning material and a superimposed layer 'of fabric treated with waterproofing material, whereby the fabric is rendered relatively stiff compared with untreated material, said pad being generally rectangular in shape and approximately equal in length to the length of a standard tapered-nosed ironing board and having an outline which substantially registers with the outline of said ironing board except at the tapered nose portion of the latter, the front portion of the pad being of greater width than said tapered nose of the ironing board to provide triangular sections which are foldable beneath the board, with the front corners of the pad overlapping while the front end edge portion of the pad which is above the board is in substantial registration with the front end of the nose of the ironing board, a plurality of snap fastener members on one of said overlapping corners, and a complementary snap fastener member on the other corner selectively engageable with one of the members on the first mentioned corner.

3. An ironing pad comprising a layer of shrinkable cushioning fabric, a layer of treated relatively non-shrinkable fabric superimposed on said cushioning layer, transversely expansible connecting strips secured to the side edges of the treated fabric and extending below the layer of cushioning fabric, and stitching connecting each strip to the cushioning fabric.

4. An ironing pad comprising a layer of shrinkable cushioning fabric, a layer of treated relatively non-shrinkable fabric superimposed on said cushioning layer, connecting strips secured to the side edges of the treated fabric .and extending below the layer of cushioning fabric, and stitching connecting each strip to the cushioning fabric, the position of the stitching being such as to provide transverse fullness in the connecting strips whereby shrinkage of the cushioning fabric will not cause buckling of the layer of treated fabric.

LOUIS SCHULTZ. 

